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For many people, balancing home and work can be a chore. Those with children and working full time may find life particularly hectic-scheduling children's activities, planning for family time, and still allowing time for themselves. For some, life is further complicated by providing care to aging parents or other relatives. These are the sandwich generation-individuals caught between the often conflicting demands of caring for children and caring for seniors.
While the overall number in the sandwich generation is relatively small, the ranks are likely to grow. One reason is the aging of the baby boomers, which will result in a much larger proportion of seniors in the population. Indeed, population projections indicate that by 2026, 1 in 5 Canadians will be 65 or older, up from 1 in 8 in 2001. Another factor is lower fertility rates, which may mean fewer adults to care for the elderly. A third is the delay in family formation (marriage and childbirth), resulting in older family members requiring care when children are still part of the household. Indeed, delayed marriage, postponement of children, and decreased fertility rates coupled with increased life expectancy means that the average married couple may have more living parents than children (Preston 1984).
The personal and financial sacrifices made by members of the sandwich generation have been highlighted in the media (Anderson 1999; Immen 2004; Kleiman 2002). At the same time, some analysts have indicated that the sandwich generation is small and that the negative consequences are overplayed (Fredriksen and Scharlach 1999). Others think that most care of seniors by family members is better defined as 'helping' and that intensive caregiving is very limited (Rosenthal and Stone 1999). To date, however, little empirical data exist for Canada. This article uses the 2002 General Social Survey (GSS) to examine care of the elderly by persons aged 45 to 64 with children still at home. The analysis focuses on types of care, time spent, effects on the individual from both a work and personal standpoint, and resources that could benefit caregivers (see Data source and definitions).
Balancing care of children and seniors is not a new phenomenon
Providing care to elderly relatives is not new, and until quite recently families played a pivotal role in this...